City considering free menstrual products in municipal facilities

The cost of providing free menstrual products in City of Sarnia facilities is being investigated.

Staff have been asked to explore providing tampons and pads as a pilot project and report back.

Advocate Michelle Parks thinks the city should follow London’s lead.

“In the beginning of April London city council passed the motion to have free menstrual products in all of their city-owned buildings,” said Parks. “I thought, ‘that is a great idea! Why don’t we have that?’ The federal government is currently working on having menstrual products in their government buildings as well.”

Parks said she expects in five years it will be common practice.

City Councillor Brian White believes it’s a human rights issue.

“Should someone have the unfortunate luck of not having a toonie in their pocket and require one of these products, I don’t think it’s fair that the choice they have to face involves whatever it is at that particular time,” said White.

While the cost is explored, Sarnia’s first Tampon Tuesday event is being planned on National Menstruation Day May 28.

Admission to the St. Clair Corporate Centre, at 265 Front Street North, will be a box of tampons or pads.